Dan O’Connell
Block1 10/20/08

Dear Pen Pal,


My name is Daisuke Matsuzaka. I am a Japanese American. I was born September 13, 1907. I enjoy playing baseball, and I am a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. There was an incident in the summer of 1935 where Poland bought some of the supplies from the U.S. It is said that the U.S. congress passed a series of laws that was enacted in 1935 to prevent U.S. arms states and loans to nations at war. These series of laws enabled for American to not be involved in the war. But then our president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt felt that it would be nearly impossible for us to stay out of this war.
There were two neutrality acts that were passed in 1937 in response to the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. There were many more acts that were added to the reformed nation to help prevent itself from entering war (Neutrality 2).
Japan had attacked China and didn’t formally declare war. The U.S. then helped in and sent arms and supplies to China to help out (Danzer et al 535). So by staying neutral we were able to send over weapons and whatever it was necessary to the defending or offending country or nation.
Then, Franklin Roosevelt persuaded congress to pass a “Cash-and-Carry”. This would enable nations to buy U.S. arms as long as they paid in cash and transported them in their own ships. This would help Britain and France to defeat Hitler and keep the U.S. out of the war (Danzer et al 550). The main purpose of both of these systems is to “Preserve being neutral and the peace of the United States and to secure the safety of its citizens and their interests” (1939 1).
“They were spurred by the growth in isolationism in the US following its costly involvement in WWI, and thought it would ensure that the US would not become entangled again in foreign conflicts, especially in Europe” (Neutrality 1).
This picture shows the “Cash-and-Carry” that went back and forth between the countries. Other countries would come here to the US and pick up the equipment they needed and they would pay for it and then head back and prepare for war.
I hope to hear back from you overseas. Tell me about how it is going over there in Ireland.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/26686573@N00/178370153/



Sincerely,
Daisuke Matsuzaka


Works Cited

“1939 US Congress: The Neutrality Act”. 20 Oct. 2008. <http://xroads.virginia.edu/~1930s2/Time/1939/1939ne.html>
Danzer, Gerald A., et al. The Americans. Boston: McDougal Littell, 2003.
“Neutral Acts”. 2003-5. Nation Master. 20 Oct. 2008. <http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Neutrality-Acts>